·Describe the information to be collected, why
the information is being collected, the intended use of the information and
with whom the information will be shared.

The Earnings Record Maintenance System (ERMS) is a Social
Security Administration (SSA) certified and accredited Major Application
consisting of several sub-systems that function to establish, correct and
maintain SSA’s major earnings files. ERMS
receives earnings data from employers and self-employed individuals and
processes that earnings data to our Master Earnings File (MEF). The MEF contains individual earnings histories
for each of the 350+ million Social Security numbers that have been assigned to
workers. These earnings histories are
the basis for determinations of eligibility for retirement, survivor,
disability and health insurance benefits under the Title II (Retirement,
Survivors, Disability Insurance) and Title XVIII (Health Insurance) programs of
the Social Security Act and for computations of benefit amounts payable under both
of those programs. The information contained in this system is
at the core of SSA’s mission in maintaining a record of earnings for the
American public that is later used to determine their entitlement to Social
Security benefits. We also use
information contained in the ERMS to provide information to current
and/or former employers for the purpose of correcting or reconstructing
earnings records, for Social Security tax purposes, and to provide workers and
self-employed individuals with earnings statements or quarters of coverage
statements.

Disclosure of this information is covered by section 6103 of the Internal
Revenue Code as well as the Privacy Act. We generally disclose this information only as necessary to
process an individual’s claim for benefits, enable current or former employers
to correct or reconstruct earnings records, and for Social Security tax
purposes, etc., or as authorized by Federal law (e.g., we share information
with the Department of Veterans Affairs to administer its programs that are
similar to SSA programs). ERMS
is not accessible to members of the public.

·Describe the administrative and technological
controls that are in place or that are planned to secure the information being
collected.

ERMS has undergone authentication
and security risk analyses. The latter
includes an evaluation of security and audit controls proven to be effective in
protecting the information collected, stored, processed, and transmitted by our
information systems. These include
technical, management, and operational controls that permit access to those users
who have an official “need to know.” Audit
mechanisms are in place to record sensitive transactions as an additional
measure to protect information from unauthorized disclosure or modification.

We protect the information in ERMS
by requiring employees who are authorized to access the information system to use
a unique Personal Identification Number. In
addition, we store the computerized records in secure areas that are accessible
to those employees who require
the information to perform their official duties. Furthermore, all of our employees who have
access to our information systems that maintain personal information must sign
a sanction document annually that acknowledges penalties for unauthorized
access to, or disclosure of, such information.

·Describe the impact on individuals’ privacy
rights.

Are individuals afforded an opportunity to
decline to provide information?

We collect information only where we have specific
legal authority to do so in order to administer our responsibilities under the
Social Security Act. When we collect personal information from individuals,
we advise them of our legal authority for requesting the information, the
purposes for which we will use and disclose the information, and the
consequences of their not providing any or all of the requested information. The individuals can then make informed
decisions as to whether or not they should provide the information.

The information that is provided for wage reporting comes directly from
employers and not from individuals per se. Since the reporting of wages is tied directly to the Internal Revenue
Service’s reporting of wages for tax-related purposes, there is no opportunity
for individuals to decline providing the information. Employers are required by law to report
employee earnings.

Are individuals afforded an opportunity to
consent to only particular uses of the information?

When we collect information from individuals,
we advise them of the purposes for which we will use the information. We further
advise them that we will disclose this information without their prior written
consent only when we have specific legal authority to do so

(e.g., the Privacy Act). We do not have any discretion in disclosing tax return information. Disclosure of that information is covered by
section 6103 of the Internal Revenue Code and the Privacy Act.

·Does the collection of this information
require a new system of records under the Privacy Act (5 U.S.C. § 552a) or an
alteration to an existing system of records?

No. An
existing system of records, Earnings Recording and Self-Employment Income
System (60-0059), covers ERMS, and it
does not require any changes.

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The Social Security Administration (SSA) website contains links to websites not affiliated with the United States government. These may include State and Local governmental agencies, international agencies, and private entities.

SSA cannot attest to the accuracy of information provided by such websites. If we provide a link to such a website, this does not constitute an endorsement by SSA or any of its employees of the information or products presented on the non-SSA website.

Also, such websites are not within our control and may not follow the same privacy, security or accessibility policies. Once you visit such a website, you are subject to the policies of that site.